


to hold him, be close to him

by Anonymous



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Canon Era, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, References to Asylums, Short, hahahahahah i hate myself! this is bad and angsty, some dialogue from spring awakening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-15 06:00:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16057004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: "David, what have you done? To yourself- to me!"





	to hold him, be close to him

David shoved the letter into his pocket as he heard his mother entering, sitting up straight and staring ahead. He knew- he knew what was going on. His mother was going to be furious, because this would not be good for the Jacobs family. Being Jewish immigrants was one thing- but being Jewish immigrants with a homosexual son- that would ruin them. But David had been careful, so careful. Neither of them ever signed their letters with their real names, as they knew the risks that would come with being found out. He must not have been careful enough though, as Les, ever curious, found one of his letters and talked to him about it. Esther had overheard, and told him to wait for her to read it. Truly, the letter wasn't bad. But it was incriminating enough. As Esther entered the room, David forced out a shaky greeting.

"David," Esther's voice was hard as she clutched the letter in her hand, knuckles lightening, "What have you done? To yourself?" her voice was calm though- and that made it worse. David didn't know what she would do, as her voice gave nothing away. "To me?" He looked away, almost in shame, casting his gaze to the ground and refusing to answer. "David! What have you done?"

"Truly, Mama, I don't know what you mean," David fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, trying to focus on something other than the situation before him. He counted one dead fly on the floor, two mystery stains, and three-

"Oh, I think you know. And now I need his name." Esther crossed her arms, and David turned to face her, jaw set in a thin veil of confidence.

"His name? Why would I tell you his name? All I wanted was to be with him-" Esther stepped forward, starting to talk over him. "To hold him-"

"No more David-"

"And to be close with him-"

"Dear god David, you will break my heart!" 

David stood up, voice shaky and eyes beginning to water. "Why didn't you tell me why-"

A sharp pain across his cheek. Esther had slapped him clean across the face, and he sat back down, hunching his shoulders and keeping his gaze fixed on the floor. "I need you to tell me who." Esther repeated, voice scarily gentle. "Racetrack Higgins?" Silence. "Spot Conlon?" Silence. "Crutchie?" Silence. "Jack Kelly?" David sniffed, swallowing the lump in his throat as he forced himself not to cry. "David. Jack Kelly?" Without a word, David took the letter from his pocket, unfolding it and handing it over, finally letting himself break down. Esther opened the letter, eyebrows raising. 

"Please," he whispered, "I love him."

"No, darling, you don't." Esther shoved the letter into her pocket, shaking her head. "We can fix this- the boy has no parents, no authority figures. He's corrupted you, hasn't he?"

"No, Mama! Even before him- I knew I was-" David cut himself off because of the look on Esther's face. Narrowing her eyes, Esther slowly tore the letter in half as David yelped in protest.

"We can fix it, David, we can make you right again. There are places you can go. I know this isn't how you are. He's made you believe it- I thought he was a nice boy, a good kid, I was wrong." Esther paced the room, leaving the door open. David's eyes flicked to it, and, faster than lightning, he sprinted out the door, stumbling as he kept running. To where, he was unsure. But he ran, as there was no more he could do.


End file.
